Building a city using Extreme Innovation

This story talks about how a group of citizens from Newark have build a sustainable community development model.

I have been thinking about applying the principles of Extreme Innovation to to build (or re-build) a city, providing basic amenities, public utilities (electricity, water), clean fresh air, green sorroundings, and a productive work environment. The point? To make it a case in point for urban governance.

Why is Extreme Innovation relevant? Building a city inherently looks like a non-competitive effort, in the sense that your gain is no-one else's loss. This is unlike a business scenario, wherein everyone is fighting for the same morsel. Then why do we need to innovate at all?

The need to Innovate comes not from the need for beating your competition, but from the need to solve problems. For instance: how do you provide employment to the poor residents without relying on a welfare scheme? How do you ensure civic sense without excess policing? How do you avoid the problems of corruption and mismanagement in the public utilities?

All these problems involve trade-offs, and solving them would require creative brainstorming, selection of relevant ideas, and effective implementation. In short: Innovation.

If anyone is game for being part of the project, drop me a mail.